Current helmet testing is designed to assess resistance to ballistic impacts from small arms and fragments, and is conducted on metallic head forms covered with a layer of clay. Performance criteria for the helmet is on a pass/fail basis determined on lack of penetration of the helmet and a deformation of the clay layer that does not exceed a specified depth. Blunt trauma testing is done using a drop tower, again with simple criteria and metallic head forms. No standardized method exists for evaluating helmets for mitigating blast-induced mild traumatic brain injury. A need exists for improved techniques for evaluating helmet materials for protection against insults that would result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).